Sondra Hassan

For ten days in September, 100 people gathered in small groups in various locations in the District of Columbia to make 8″ quilted squares to be assembled into an American Masterpiece.  Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the DC Commission on the Arts and the Textile Museum this unusual quilt composed of 200 connecting blocks that can be rearranged was the brain child of Pat Autenrieth.  Men and women, young and old, experienced quilters and novices were drawn to the project.  Each block emerged from the imagination of it’s creator.  Adinkra, political and religious symbols as well as the natural world served as inspiration.  Blocks by youngsters explored future careers. Several expert quilters shepherded project participants through each phase from design to assembly to quilting.  On Sunday, September the 29th, the quilt was unveiled at the Textile Museum.   Take a look at the American Quilt 2009 on Flickr.